Threads Takes On Bluesky With More Advanced Search Capabilities

Meta’s competitor to Elon Musk’s X, Instagram Threads, has announced an improved search interface. The new feature will allow users to filter searches by user profiles and date ranges.

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Comprehensive Search Not Yet Available on Threads

The updated search functionality is not as comprehensive as X’s advanced search features. Users can currently narrow queries by language, keywords, exact phrases, excluded words, hashtags, and more. However, the new update will make it easier for users to locate specific posts on Threads.

Comparison with Bluesky Search

Threads’ new search interface brings its functionality more in line with that of Bluesky’s search feature. Both platforms allow users to filter searches by user profiles, date ranges, and other advanced queries. However, the Bluesky app does not currently surface all filtering options in its user interface.

History of Threads Search

Before this latest update, Threads’ search was relatively basic. Users could only search for posts using keywords or keyword combinations and then filter results by either ‘Top’ (most engaging posts) or ‘Recent’ (latest posts).

Global Rollout Scheduled

The new search functionality is expected to be available globally in the coming weeks.

Threads Releases Features to Compete with Bluesky

In recent days, Meta has been rapidly releasing new features for Threads to counter the growing threat from social networking startup Bluesky. The latter has seen its user base surge in the wake of the U.S. elections, as users left X due to Elon Musk’s political leanings and policy changes.

Bluesky Gains Momentum

As reported earlier, Bluesky had around 9 million users in September but now claims nearly 24 million users. To address this challenge, Meta has introduced several features for Threads, including:

Choose Your Default Feed: Users can select their preferred feed to view posts from.
Easier Navigation Between Feeds: A design change makes it simpler to switch between feeds.
Updated Algorithm: The algorithm that determines the content users see in their feeds has been updated.

Meta Develops Its Own Recommendation Lists

Threads is also developing its own take on Bluesky’s user-curated recommendation lists, known as Starter Packs. This feature allows users to discover new accounts and topics of interest based on their interactions with other users.